Is it true that positions above senior manager are not filled through people who apply for them, but through recruiting firms or targeted internal recruiters?

7 Comments

1. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJune 27,2023 at 3:43AM UTC

   NO THAT IS NOT TRUE.
   I am working on several Senior Manager/Director positions right now.

   Maybe at the very highest level - say VP or Executive VP or SVP but not Senior Managers. But even at that very senior level, it most likely wouldn't go out to an agency unless internal recruiters had exhausted all options. Most companies don't like to pay recruiting fees if they don't have to.

2. maryJuly 9,2023 at 1:42PM UTC

   Joan is correct I recruited for high-level positions for many years and in 13 years we used an agency once.

3. AnonymousJune 28,2023 at 12:04PM UTC

   For a lot of our director level and above, we do indeed use an external firm as well internal sourcing for candidates. We don't put these positions out there on LinkedIn or whatever (and, too, quite often when we are looking to fill these roles, this is a confidential search).

4. AnonymousJuly 9,2023 at 4:12PM UTC

   It's not true, but competition is very high for those positions, so if you're trying to move to the next level but haven't already performed at that level, you're competing against candidates who already have proven themselves at that level of experience. Hang in there!

5. AnonymousJuly 10,2023 at 5:36PM UTC

   Not true at all, the higher level roles in larger companies do sometimes get outsourced for filling to 3rd party executive search firms or internal leadership recruiters. Generally speaking if you are not getting interviews it is your branding, lack of direct leadership for those roles or missing cover letter with specific details about alignment of your skills and the role itself. I would advise strongly to find a 3rd party exec firm have them review your resume, let them know what you are looking for and ask for real feedback about fit and such. You might also find a mentor or previous leader that you worked for and do the same, you may get feedback you don't want to hear but you can adjust and correct accordingly. Often in larger companies they post the role externally, take on a 3rd party firm and then promote from within. That way internally they give all the possible interested internal considerations equal footing to interview for the job.

6. Lisa Galczynski KahlerJuly 11,2023 at 12:20PM UTC

   I've definitely seen postings for higher level roles, some by the company directly, some by a recruiter posting on their behalf. As others have stated, your branding is likely the roadblock you're facing. A savvy 3rd party resume consultant will help you improve your LinkedIn profile, resume, as well as craft some draft cover letters. If you don't have direct experience at this higher level, they will help you identify "transferable skills" and wordsmith them to get you some exposure. Not holding a title for these types of positions isn't really key, in my opinion. (Some organizations may not have that type of culture). Bottom line is you must prove you have the experience through your profiles/resume. Good luck!

7. Krystin MorganJuly 11,2023 at 9:28PM UTC

   Not necessarily. It really depends on the level & the organization.

   There are many times that an organization might partner with an agency and avoid posting the job to preserve confidentiality - for example, if they're trying to replace a high-level employee and don't want the word getting out, or if they're hiring an executive for a new part of their business that hasn't publicly launched yet.

   That said, if a company has internal recruiters who focus on leadership roles, chances are they're also going to be posting the jobs for candidates to apply to.

   Like others have said, chances are your resume and LinkedIn are maybe not branding you as high-level as you are, or they aren't showing your readiness for the next step. Keep in mind, too, that oftentimes higher-level roles are fewer and farther between so it can take some time to find the right thing!